IT - EN -
NOTICE TO USERS - LABORATORY TEST APPOINTMENTS

It is hereby communicated that it is no longer possible to book laboratory tests at the Regional Call Center and through the link: https://prenotasalute.regione.lombardia.it/sito/


Below is the list of laboratory tests that cannot be provided via direct access but require prior booking at the company CUPs (booking centers):

  • Glycemic loads
  • Mycological tests
  • Cervical-vaginal or urethral swabs
  • Mantoux intradermal reaction
Citizens will still be guaranteed the opportunity to make prior appointments for tests by visiting one of the company CUPs.

Latest update : 27 april 2023

Po Garbagnate

CORSICO

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Po Garbagnate

GARBAGNATE MILANESE/BOLLATE

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Po Garbagnate

RHO

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REPORT COLLECTION POINTS
Check the report collection points



Instructions for the collection of biological materials

In the morning, fasting, perform a thorough cleaning of the mouth with mouthwash and gargle with saline or sterile water.

  1. Collect sputum after a cough in a wide-mouth screw-cap container.
  2. Sputum may be stored at 2 °- 8 ° C before delivering.
    N.B. If three samples are required (for mycobacteria research) , these should be collected on three different days, and delivered each day individually.
Transport to the laboratory collecting center

RECTAL SWAB FOR COPROCULTURE

Swab with blue cap tube are available at the laboratory collecting center (CENTRO PRELIEVI)

  1. Open the package, remove vial and place on a flat surface. Loosen cap.
  2. Withdraw the swab and use as follows:
    • Insert the swab in the rectum (i.e. insert swab through the anal sphincter). The highly visible red marker line indicates the safe limit for swab insertion.
    • Rotate the swab in the rectum to collect the sample.
    • Remove the swab, insert into vial and snap off the non-bud end so that the remaining shaft fits within the vial. The shaft has a scored breakpoint to assist this process.
    • Replace cap, and turn until secure.

Transport to the laboratory collecting center


DETECTION OF OXYURIASIS EGGS – Enterobius vermicularis – (SCOTCH TAPE TEST)

  1. The KIT for this exam is available at the collecting center
  2. The sample must be collected as soon as you wake up in the morning, before passing stools or washing yourself.
  3. Use transparent Scotch tape.
  4. Using a pair of scissors cut a piece of Scotch tape (5-6 cm). The piece of adhesive tape must be a bit shorter than the slide.
  5. Place the Scotch tape gently but firmly around the anus on the perianal area for 15-20 seconds.
  6. Remove the adhesive tape from the anus and place (stretch) the tape onto the slide.
  7. Bring the KIT within 2-4 hours from the sample collection, or keep it in a refrigerator no longer than 24-48 hours.
    DO NOT USE non-transparent tape!

Slides smeared with stool are NOT suitable!
ATTENTION: thoroughly wash your hands after collecting a sample (pinworm eggs often embrionate and are infectious)

Transport to the laboratory collecting center


Collecting a STOOL sample to detect INTESTINAL PARASITES

Do not use laxatives before collection of stool specimen

  1. Do not urinate on the specimen. The stool should be passed into a clean dry container.
  2. Shake well before opening.
  3. Remove the cap. Liquid is poisonous and should not be ingested. Avoid contact with skin or eyes.
  4. An appropriate (bloody, mucoid) area of stool should be selected and sampled with the collection spoons provided in the cap of the container.
  5. Sufficient stool is added to each container to bring the liquid level up to the “Fill to Here”.
  6. Replace cap tightly.
  7. Shake well until full dilution of content. Wash your hands thoroughly.

Transport to the laboratory collecting center

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THE ORANGE-CAP SWAB (short stem)
Suitable for nasal, ear, eye, and urethral swab collection

Instructions for swab use:

  1. Open the packaging.
  2. Place the orange tube in a test tube holder and unscrew the cap.
  3. Perform the swab collection.
  4. Remove the cap from the tube, insert the swab, and break off the non-cotton end so that the remaining shaft fits inside the tube. The shaft includes a break point to facilitate this process.
  5. Screw the cap on securely.
  6. Label the sample and send it to the laboratory.

For the culture examination of cavity fluids and pus, transfer approximately 2 ml of the sample into the orange-cap tube.
For the detection of anaerobic bacteria, use the orange-cap tubes and transfer approximately 2 ml of the sample.


INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THE PURPLE-CAP SWAB
Suitable for throat, wound, ulcer, mucosal, and skin swab collection

Instructions for swab use:

  1. Open the packaging.
  2. Place the purple tube in a test tube holder and unscrew the cap.
  3. Perform the swab collection.
  4. Remove the cap from the tube, insert the swab, and break off the non-cotton end so that the remaining shaft fits inside the tube. The shaft includes a break point to facilitate this process.
  5. Screw the cap on securely.
  6. Label the sample and send it to the laboratory

URINE CULTURE

Use for collecting a sterile container with a screw cap and collect the midstream of the first morning urine

A) MALES:
  1. Wash your hands with soap and water and dry.
  2. Wash the external genitalia with soap and water and dry.
  3. Divide the urinating moment in 2 moments.
  4. Spread the labia and eject the first part of urine (FIRST MITTO) in the toilet.
  5. Collect in a sterile container the second part of urine (midstream), being careful not to touch the edges of the container.
  6. Close the container.
  7. Transport to the laboratory collecting center.
B) FEMALES:
  1. Wash your hands with soap and water and dry.
  2. Wash the external genitalia with soap and water and dry.
  3. Divide the urinating moment in 2 moments.
  4. Spread the labia and eject the first part of urine (FIRST MITTO) in the toilet.
  5. Collect in a sterile container the second part of urine (midstream), being careful not to touch the edges of the container.
  6. Close the container.
  7. Transport to the laboratory collecting center.
C) CATETER:
  1. Use for collecting a sterile container with screw cap.
  2. Close the catheter with forceps, for at least one hour.
  3. Disinfect a portion of the catheter just below the junction with the connecting tube, or if the catheter is fitted disinfect the appropriate device for the collection of samples.
  4. Remove a few cc of urine and throw away, in a sterile container collect the second part of urine, being careful not to touch the edges of the container.
  5. Deliver the sample in the shortest time possible, and if this is not possible, and especially in the summer keep in the refrigerator for no more than 12 hours.
  6. NB. DO NOT COLLECT URINE FROM THE BAG.
  7. Transport to the laboratory collecting center.
D) INFANTS AND CHILDREN:
  1. Use to collect a plastic bag sticker available in pharmacies.
  2. Thoroughly clean the skin of the suprapubic region, perianal and external genitalia with soapy water, rinse and dry thoroughly.
  3. Apply the bag making it stick to the suprapubic region and perineum.
  4. Immediately upon urination remove the bag, seal it carefully and store it in a sterile container for urine bacterial culture.
  5. DO NOT TRANSFER THE URINE FROM THE BAG TO STERILE CONTAINER BUT PLACE THE BAG DIRECTLY IN THE CONTAINER. Do not leave the bag in place for more than 45-60 minutes, if necessary, replace a new bag after repeated rewashing the skin.
  6. Deliver the sample at collecting center before 9.45 a.m.
  7. Transport to the laboratory collecting center.

EXAMINATION CHEMICAL-PHYSICAL AND MICROSCOPIC OF URINE

  1. A morning sample is recommended, issued after a night's rest, follow the instructions for (urine culture)
  2. Transport to the laboratory collecting center

SEARCH MYCOBACTERIA

  1. Collect urine in 50mL Falcon tube (available at the point of withdrawal). The urine sample must be collected after a night's rest.
  2. Transport to the laboratory collecting center

24 HOUR URINE COLLECTION FOR VARIOUS EXAMS

  1. Empty the bladder upon awakening in the morning and do not collect this urine.
  2. From that moment on, collect all the urine made during the day, the night and the first of the following morning (store in a cool place, e.g. in the bathroom, out of reach of children).
  3. Transport to the laboratory collecting center

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACIDIFIED URINE COLLECTION ONLY

VANILLYLMANDELIC ACID, URINARY CATECHOLAMINES, 5-HYDROXYINDOLEACETIC ACID, URINARY OXALATES, URINARY DOPAMINE, CITRATURIA, METANEPHRINES/NORMETANEPHRINES, HYDROXYPROLINE

  1. Empty the bladder upon waking in the morning and do not collect this urine.
  2. From this point, collect all urine passed during the day, night, and first morning urination on the following day.
  3. Do not urinate directly into the container, but rather into a clean container.
  4. Pour the urine while keeping your face away from the container with acid (irritant fumes may develop).
  5. Keep the container out of reach of children.
  6. Keep the container tightly closed and do not invert it; if skin contact with acid occurs, rinse immediately with plenty of water.
  7. During collection, store the urine at 2°-8°C and in the dark.

Container with cap containing a rod designed for stool sample collection, to be returned to collection centers

  1. Collect a stool sample in a clean container, ensuring no urine contamination.
  2. Unscrew the cap of the collection tube and remove the rod.
  3. Do not discard the liquid contained in the vial.
  4. Dip and rotate the collection rod 5-6 times at different points in the stool sample.
  5. A minimal amount of material should adhere to the textured part of the rod; excess stool will prevent proper testing.
  6. Place the rod back in the collection tube, screw the cap tightly, and shake vigorously.
  7. Do not unscrew the cap on the bottom part of the tube.
  8. Store samples in the refrigerator at 2°-8°C and deliver them within 3 days of collection.

SEMINAL FLUID FOR THE CULTURE TEST

  1. The collection should be preceded by the accurate cleaning of the hands and external genital organs, in order to prevent the contaminations
  2. The patient should urinate until the complete emptying of the bladder
  3. The sample should be collected by masturbation in a special sterile wide-mouth container
  4. Close the container immediately
  5. Consign to the laboratory collecting center


CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTABILITY OF BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES AND THE PROCEDURES FOR REPEATING THE SAMPLE COLLECTION IF NECESSARY

The laboratory, in order to ensure proper management of samples during the pre-analytical phase, ensures that personnel responsible for collecting biological samples at the collection points affiliated with the laboratory are properly informed. In particular, it ensures that staff have access to documentation describing the type of examination and the corresponding type of collection container.

The personnel responsible for collecting biological samples must first verify the patient's identity and whether the patient is fasting in the case of a blood draw. They must also check the correct container (tube, urine jar, stool sample, etc.), ensure proper aliquoting of the material in the collection container, assess the appearance of the collected sample (presence of hemolysis signs), and verify the proper storage of the sample before sending it to the laboratory in the ambient temperature storage area (except for samples that require cold chain management, which must be stored in a refrigerator and transported refrigerated to the laboratory).

If the sample is deemed unsuitable for testing, the collector must repeat the draw immediately before dismissing the patient. Samples that appear suitable can be sent to the laboratory. Before processing, samples undergo an additional pre-analytical check by laboratory staff. If samples are found to be unsuitable for analysis (clotted, severely hemolyzed, insufficient, collected in the wrong tube or container, transported under unsuitable conditions), the patient will be contacted by the laboratory's administrative office to repeat the draw or submit the biological material.